Adjustable skein holder



' May'20, 1947. C.'T. osToM ADJUSTABLE SKE IN HOLDER Filed Odt. 29, 1945 'IN VEN TOR.

m. H T T 7 Z 5 k W Wynn a Patented May 20, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE SKEIN HOLDER Charles T. Ostrom, Base Line, Mich.

Application October 29, 1945, Serial No. 625,301

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to skein holders, and more particularly to a new and improved type of adjustable skein holder wherein the user is provided with a visible and accurate subdivision of the skeins wound thereon.

Most users of skeins of the type herein described keep the same in a basket or box wherein, in time, the skeins become intermingled and tangled so that the user finds it hard to find the color desired and when found, to separate same so that it may be readily used.

With the present invention the skeins are kept so fully separated that they cannot become entangled, and the holder is djustable to enable the user to hold thereon skeins of difierent lengths and to quickly expand the holder so that the skeins are held taut in full view of the user and ready for instant use.

The above and other objects will appear more fully from the following more detailed description and from the drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view showing the holder as actually constructed.

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, the holder per se comprises two rectangularly shaped sections designated by the numerals I and II, constructed preferably of plastic, although any other well known rigid material may be used. Each section is identical in size and shape and one edge of each section is notched as at I2, there being as many notches as there are to be skeins or separate subdivisions wound about the holder. In this manner the device is subdivided into a. series of sections all containing an equal quantity of fabric, the projecting prongs I3 keeping the several skeins properly separated, and the slits I9 in each prong being provided so that the user may insert the end of the skein therein to hold the same ready for use.

The sectionslfl and I I have formed therein in parallelism a plurality of grooves I4, said grooves being formed so that when the sections I0 and I I are placed upon each other, one set of grooves act as ridges adapted to slideably interlock with the longitudinal grooves in the other section, as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawing. These grooves are so formed in said sections that the opposed notches I2 and prongs I3'at all times remain in alignment.

To hold the sections I0 and I I in predetermined spaced relationship, there is provided in each section a longitudinal slot I5 and spaced apart on the other side or each section a screw hole I6. As shown best in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the slot l5 being located on one side of the section and the screw hole I6 at the other, when the sections are reversed and slideably placed upon each other, the slot and screw holes are reversed so that a. screw hole and slot remain in alignment when the sections are fitted together. There are also provided a pair of'set screws I I having heads thereon sufficiently wide to extend over the edges of slot I5 so that when the stem of the set screw isengaged within hole I6 and tightened, the two sections Ill and II may be clamped together and held firmly in the position desired.

When the user wishes to load the device with a plurality of skeins I8, the set screws I! are loosened so that the sections may slide freely within grooves I4 until one section completely covers the other and in which position the opposed notches and projecting prongs are in alignment. The skeins come from the producers of same in set lengths and are wound in loops which conveniently slip onto each subdivision. Once the required number of colored skeins are in place, the user extends the sections, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, until they are taut, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, and slips the end of each skein into slit I9 provided therefor, and the device is ready for use following the tightening of set screws I! to secure the sections in the desired position.

There has been disclosed herein a simple, yet novel, device for holding skeins, or the like, which device may be manufactured in various sizes and shapes to accommodate the various sizes of skeins being manufactured. The various colored skeins v are in full view of the user, yet compact and orderly and readily accessible and the end of the skein is held firmly in place ready for reuse.

I claim:

A device of the character described comprising an adjustable skein holder comprising a pair of sections slideably mounted upon each other and having formed in each section a longitudinal slot and screw hole opening therein, a plurality of grooves formed to interlock and hold said sections in alignment upon each other, notches formed in one edge of each section to separate the skeins, and locking means to lock said sec- 45 tions in a predetermined position comprising a pair of wide headed set screws adapted to have the stems thereof pass through said slots into said screw holes and engage the same, said heads of said set screws contacting the edges of said 50 slots to engage the same and thereby secure said sections firmly together.

CHARLES T. OSTROM.

REFERENCES CITED 55 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 81,471 Brown Aug. 25, 1868 539,474 Frisbie May 21, 1895 

